


oh great, a holiday special

by Astral_Bees



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Bi Buffy, F/F, F/M, OOC, Oh, a little holiday oneshot, and, any mention of the summers' residence is in reference to a new house, because well..., but she's dawn's gf in this, but..., kit is only mentioned in passing, lesbian dawn, oh and not rlly important to the actual subject of the fic, sorry for the pacing and stuff, sunnydale is gone, this was just for a nice little moment, y'know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:54:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28208646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astral_Bees/pseuds/Astral_Bees
Summary: the scoobies meet up for a holiday get-together
Relationships: Faith Lehane/Kendra Young, Jenny Calendar/Rupert Giles, Tara Maclay/Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris/Anya Jenkins
Kudos: 6





	oh great, a holiday special

Buffy dropped the box onto the dining room table, wincing slightly as the contents clanged together. Coming up behind her, Dawn patted her shoulder.

“Maybe I should handle the ornaments from now on?” Dawn asked, lifting one flap up to see if everything was smashed to bits. Her sister sighed beside her and Dawn bumped Buffy’s hip with her own. “Hey, don’t worry. I see at least one that survived the great Buffy wreckage of ’06.”

“One made it? That seems too high.” Buffy returned, joining in on Dawn’s good-natured attempt to ease the nervous energy.

“Yeah, weird, right? On the bright side, I think it’s the one Xander got us that says something about boobs!”

“Oh, good! So glad it was that one and not the ones that mom and dad had made for each of our first Christmases.” Buffy took a peek inside the box herself and noted that it didn’t seem any of the ornaments had actually broken, they had only been tossed around a bit. She didn’t dare pick the box up again to move it. Instead, Buffy opted to take a couple ornaments with her and started decorating the tree.

Dawn moved to help, but a knock at the door pulled her attention away from her sister and their Christmas tree. As Dawn hurried over, she called out an unnecessary, “I’ll get it!”

Pausing, Buffy watched as Dawn threw the door open with palpable excitement. Anya entered first, patting Dawn on the head, and then Xander followed with a warm hug. Shutting the door behind their first two guests, Dawn led them to Buffy.

“So… did Willow or Tara let you know when they would be getting here?” Dawn asked as they got within earshot of Buffy.

One of Xander’s hands flew to his chest, covering his heart. “Way to play favorites, Dawnster!”

“Am not!” Dawn shot back, smirking. “Unless you want to buy your way into first place.”

Anya sat down on the couch and put her hand out to Xander. “Yes! If you want us to love you the most, you’ll have to pay us.”

Dawn nodded, crossing her arms and Xander sighed. He separated from the two of them and joined Buffy by the tree. “Need any help?”

“Yeah, actually. Could you hand me some more of the ornaments in that box?”

“On it, Buff.”

He returned to her, ornaments in hand, and Buffy smiled warmly at him. She gestured toward Anya with her head. “Married life still treating you well? Because if not, I’ll only feel a little badly dating your ex-wife.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but I don’t think we’re planning on getting divorced anytime soon.” Xander hung one of the ornaments and Buffy moved it as soon as he looked away. “But you’ll be the first to know if we do.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She paused a moment, smiling down at the ornament in her hand. “I’m glad things are going well with you two.”

“Yeah… So am I.”

A loud bang interrupted their conversation and Buffy bristled before realizing it was the door. She motioned for Dawn to get the door again and Dawn was on her feet in an instant.

“B! It’s rude to keep your guests waiting!”

Buffy rolled her eyes at Faith’s yelling, but she couldn’t deny the fact that it was nice having people around. When Dawn had proposed the holiday party and then informed Buffy that she’d already told the others it was happening, she had been hesitant. But she missed having them all together. And that included Faith. Even if she was so very… Faith.

Turning the knob, Dawn backed away from the door as it flew open. Faith entered and threw her arms up in a grand entrance. “How’s it going fuck-ups? Miss me?”

“Faith…” Kendra’s voice came from somewhere behind her, exhaustion audible, though it was accompanied by affection.

“Faith,” Buffy copied, her tone just as exhausted, but far less affectionate. “can we minimize the cursing?”

“Aww, you scared tiny tot is gonna pick up my bad habits?”

“Hey! It’s not like I’m twelve!” Dawn piped up, still standing in the entrance to the living room. Faith stuck her tongue out at her, and Dawn eagerly returned the gesture.

Kendra joined Anya on the couch and gestured loosely at Faith. “Sorry about her.”

Settling onto Kendra’s lap, Faith pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You love me.”

“I suppose I do.”

“Oh, I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

Anya shifted further down the couch, putting some space between herself and the couple. She stared at them for a moment before deciding to leave the couch altogether and sit on one of the chairs in the room instead. Neither Kendra nor Faith said anything about her leaving, if they noticed at all.

With help from Xander and the occasional assistance of Dawn, Buffy was able to finish up with the tree a little bit before Jenny and Giles arrived. She had just begun to relax when they knocked. Looking around to see if anyone would get the door, she saw that everyone was already wrapped up in their own conversations. So, Buffy pushed herself off the couch and made her way over to let the two in.

“Hello, Buffy!” Giles greeted her, giving her a quick one-armed hug as he shuffled past her to enter the house. Once he was fully inside, he pulled her into a second hug that was warmer and tighter.

Jenny followed close behind, patting Buffy’s arm. “How are things going so far?”

“Oh yes! How are things?” Giles mimicked as if the question hadn’t occurred to him until Jenny had asked it.

“Pretty good. Decorations are all put up and no demons have made an appearance to try and kill us.”

“Well, that’s a feat in itself, I’d say.”

Jenny nodded with a light smile, glancing around the room at everybody else. She elbowed Giles and said, “Hey, looks like we’re not the last ones after all.”

“A true Christmas miracle with your punctuality.” Giles returned, smiling back at her.

Buffy guided them into the living room and asked if they wanted anything to drink. And though she was willing to get them whatever they asked for, she was relieved when Giles told her he could get their drinks if she didn’t mind him poking around the kitchen.

He returned with two mugs in hand. One of earl grey tea and one of hot chocolate. Though it was clear by Jenny’s initial reaction that the hot chocolate wasn’t the only ingredient in her drink.

Crowded around the tree, the group fell into easy conversation as they waited for the last of them to arrive. Dawn made sure she was closest to the door as they talked and when the others drifted into the kitchen, she remained in the living room.

There was no knock when Willow and Tara got to the Summers’ residence, just a key in the lock. But it was enough to send Dawn hurtling out of her chair.

She opened the door before Tara or Willow could even turn the knob and greeted them with a tight hug.

“Dawnie!” Willow called out; her voice muffled slightly by the embrace.

Dawn finally pulled away, a broad smile on her face. “I was wondering when you guys would get here! Xander’s been a major bore.”

Tara stifled a laugh as Xander shouted “I heard that!” from the other room. Though Willow didn’t bother to hide her laughter.

The three made their way to the kitchen to join up with everybody else. Willow greeted with some hugs while Tara hung back, opting for waves. When Willow moved to give Faith a quick hug, Faith planted a kiss on her, making sure to smudge her lipstick across Willow’s cheek. A frown spread over Willow’s face as she struggled to wipe the mark from her skin. Tara pulled Willow over to her and rubbed lightly at the lipstick, once again trying to hold back laughter. But it was no use, the lipstick wasn’t budging, and Tara wasn’t able to keep her amusement inside.

“I think it’s a good color for you, Will,” Xander piped up.

“I can get some on your lips next time,” Faith offered, smirking. Kendra squeezed her hand, giving her a look. But the expression didn’t hit as hard with a smile playing at her lips.

Willow sighed. “I think I’m good, but thanks Faith.”

“Anytime, red.”

In an attempt to change the subject, Buffy spoke up, “Should we start the gift exchange?”

A look passed between her and Tara, but Willow was too busy telling Faith not to call her red to notice. Tara smiled gently and gave a brief nod. And when Dawn realized what was happening, her grin grew wider and she grabbed onto Willow’s arm, pulling her back toward the living room. “Yeah! The gift exchange!”

Settling down in the living room once more, everyone did their best to find somewhere to sit. They held onto their various gifts, waiting for some sort of beginning.

Buffy went first, handing the present she had to Giles. He unwrapped it carefully and opened the box to find a leather messenger bag. She gestured at the bag and shrugged. “I figured you could do with an updated version. Maybe one that doesn’t look like it’s about to die.”

“No, this is great,” he pushed his glasses up his nose and met her eyes. “Thank you, Buffy.”

She smiled back at him, pleased.

With the gift exchange kicked off, they went around from person-to-person. Kendra gave Anya a card with fifty dollars and a small necklace in it. And while money was always a safe bet, especially with Anya, she wouldn’t stop admiring the gem on the necklace. Faith had gotten Kendra a sharp knife, which Kendra accepted with a kiss. Willow handed Dawn two concert tickets with the instruction that they were for her and Kit. She wrapped Willow in another big hug.

And then it was down to the last gift.

Tara got to her feet, offering a hand to Willow. Joining her, the two stood in the center of the living room. Willow’s open, excited expression burrowed under Tara’s skin and made her heart flutter. She glanced at the others and raised a finger, excusing her and Willow to a room away from them all.

Willow’s expression quickly shifted to one of curiosity and confusion as they separated themselves from their friends. “Tara?”

Letting out a shaky breath, Tara smiled and took Willow’s hand in her own. With her free hand, she reached into one of her pockets for the gift. “Xander let me have your name for the gift exchange so I could do this…” She held the small box in between the two of them and even though she hadn’t opened it yet, it was obvious what was resting inside. Lightly tightening her grip on Willow’s hand, Tara popped the box open. “I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love you, Willow Rosenberg. And I was wondering, if maybe, you would want to marry me?”

Willow melted into tears and smiles; the contents of her heart painted all over her. She nodded emphatically, pulling Tara to her in a kiss. When they broke apart, she whispered an eager, “Yes!”

They kissed again and Tara slipped the ring onto Willow’s finger. And in the quiet, a small noise caught their attention. The two turned toward the sound. A brief flash of brown hair disappeared around the corner.

“Dawn, we know you’re there.” Willow said.

Peeking out from behind the wall, Dawn smiled awkwardly. “Hey, guys.”

Tara walked over to her with Willow trailing quickly after her. They linked their arms with Dawn and as they made their way back into the living room, she exclaimed, “I call dibs on being the maid of honor!”

“Whose maid of honor?” Tara asked.

Dawn shrugged, “I can double task.”

Xander was the first out of his seat, wrapping his arms around Willow and interrupting the previous conversation. “Welcome to whatever marriage is!”

“I’m not married yet, Xan.”

“I know, but soon.”

“Yeah,” she said, a small smile blooming on her face as she glanced at Tara. “soon.”

Buffy made her way over right after. She shot a look at her sister before turning to Willow and Tara. “How would you two feel about having two Summers girls as your maids of honor?”

“I think that could work,” Tara replied with a lopsided grin.

The celebrations took up the better part of the night, passing dishes of food and bottles of various drinks, and by the end of it all, they were crowded into the living room a final time. And as Buffy took in the sights and sounds of her family, she felt so unbelievably safe. She was exactly where she was meant to be.

**Author's Note:**

> have a nice day and stay safe :)


End file.
